Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-06-22
Return OF the Battle Flags.

Correspondence ofthc Alexandria Gazette.
NORFOLK, Va, June 20.-No doubt the
feeling OF pride and exultation in the North
is very great, when the old flags under
which the Confederates fought are known TO
be in the bands of Northern men. II mat
ters not when or how they acquired posses
sion of them, it is all the same. Tie same
feeling no doubt thrills the Northern heart
when they look upon the books, jewclry,
watches, pictures, rings and Thousands Of
mementoes Of long-ago departed ones, which
were captured from helpless women and
children in their undefended homes during
and after the war. If President Cleveland
could return all these private and personal
articles to their rightful owners he could
keep the old flags forever, and 10 Southern
man or woman would complain.
OF what avail would these flags he to Us
What evidence Of proves would they be to
the North? The deeds of Southern soldiers
need no flags nor papers nor books TO per-
petuate them. They are inscribed upon ev-
cry monument erected to the memory of
Northern warriors who fell during the war.
Every cemetery in the South or North in
which repose the bodies Of the slain thou
sands of the Northern army, are monuments
to the proves of Southern soldiers The
100000 Mortimer who fell in striving to
conquer the brave few who have those bat
tie flags which are so highly priced by the
G.. A. r. speak more potentially in praise Of
the bravery and pluck of the South than all
the flags on earth can ever do. No doubt
the republican party supposed they were
enactlng q glorious monument to their sol.
ders, and humliatng the South by collect.
ing and burying on Southern soil the hun.
dreds OF thousands Of their slain soldiers.
But they were only reseupg from oblivion
myriads of silent witnesses from hundreds
of battlefelds, to testify to our children and
chidren's children the gallantry of their
brave sires. On every headboard we read
the fruits of Southern proves. And when
in after years our children shall ash; where
are the evidences of their fathers glorious
deeds in war, they will be pointed to the
mounds and headstones in the South, mark
ing the last resting place of those who fell
while ruthlessly invading our homes.
They have our old tattered and torn flags,
but Virginia has hundreds of thousands OF
witnesses more lasting than they, who shall
proclaim through all the coming ages. the
gallantry and glory of her sons.
Let General Playfair continue to hold the
flags in the North, but if he should neglect
to mark well the graves of his fallen com.
rsdes, let our people be careful 20 do 50,
and they will thus demonstrate TO future
generations, that for the old bunting cap.
tured by the North, they sacrificed upon
the altar of Southern chivalry a nation OF
warrior.
Let US defend these graves Let US sirew
them with flowers every spring. Let our
children be taught to preserve them as the
most sacred relics of the war, and while
General Playiair shall carefully preserve
our flags, let us still more carefully protect
the graves of his fallen comrades. And
while he raises protest against surrender
ing our flags, let us hOwl, if any rude hand
should dare disturb any Of these, our wit .
nesses to the proves of Southern men.
HANOVER.